File-receptacle



Model.)

A. L. BROWN.

FILE REGEPTAOLE.

Patented Mar. 20, 1888.

AARON L. BROWVN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FILE- RECEPTACLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part; of Letters Patent No. 379,678, dated March 20, 1888.

(No mod cl.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AARON L. BROWN, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in File Receptacles; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a partof this specification.

This invention relates to filing cases or re ceptacles for papers; and it has reference more particularly to means for securing a series of index-sheets or an eXpansible index in such receptacles, and to a blind catch or fastening for holding closed a lid or cover in a receptacle provided with such lid or cover.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter described, andpointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a filing-receptacle embodying the same. Fig. 2 is a central transverse section of the said receptacle. Fig. 3 is a detail elevation of the middle part of the back wall of the receptacle as viewed from the inside thereof, showing the means for holding the indexsheets within the receptacle. Fig. at is a detail plan view of the middle part of the back wall of the receptacle, the ledge shown in Fig. 1 being broken away to show the construction of the securing device for the index-sheets. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the holding-plates forming part of the sheet-securing devices. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail section through the meeting edges of the receptacle and cover, illustrating the construction of the fastening device for holding the cover closed. Fig. 7 is a per spective view of the keeper of the fastening device as it appears before being attached to the receptacle. Fig. 8 is a perspective view illustrating the part of the fastening device which is secured to the cover.

In the said drawings, A indicates a filing receptacle, which, in the particular form thereof herein shown, comprises a bottom, A, two sides or ends, A A a back, A, a front wall, A*, (herein shown as hinged to form a flap,) and a hinged cover, A Said cover is, as

shown, provided on its three free or unattached edges with flanges a a a, which enter rabbets or recesses a a a, formed in the outer surfaces, respectively, of the end walls, A A and the front flap, A.

B B are a series of index-sheets forming an expansible index and provided with indexletters upon their free margins in the usual manner, and G is a post or rod secured to the receptacle at the middle part of the back A thereof and engaged with the several indexsheets at their rear edges. The receptacle is provided in its rear wall, A, with a vertical groove or recess, A, within which the holding-rod O is located, the indeX-sheets being provided with projecting parts ortabs b b, entering the said grooves or recesses, and aper tured to engage the rod. In the particular instance illustrated the projections or tabs b b are made of metal, and are attached to the indexshcets by means of points or prongs engaging the said sheets, as indicated in Fig. 1.

As a novel means for securing the rod or post 0 in place,whereby said post may be eas ily, accurately, and quickly attached to the receptacle in the process of manufacture, de vices are herein shown as follows:

The recess or groove A in the back wall, A is cut through the strip composing said back wall from edge to edge thereof. To the opposite or top and bottom edges of said back wall over the, ends of the groove are secured metal plates D D, which are provided with central apertures, d (1, adapted for engagement with the ends of the post 0. The post, as shown, is shouldered at its ends to provide small projections or points 0 c, entering the apertures (Z d,- but this construction is not necessary, inasrnuch as the post may be held from endwise movement by engagement with the parts of the receptacle arranged to overlie the plates, as will hereinafter appear. The plates D D are secured to the back wall, A, preferably by means of nails or tacks inserted through holes (1 (1 near the ends of said plates, and to form a guide for accurately placing the parts together said plates are provided with prongs or projections 41' d and preferably formed by punching out portions of the metal from the body of the plate, so as to leave openings therein, in the manner clearly illustrated in the drawings. The prongs d d are arranged at the same distance apart as the width of the groove A, so that when the plate is put in place said prongs d (1 will bear against the opposite sides of said groove. The said prongs are arranged at equal distances from the central .aperture, d, of the plate, so that said prongs serve to accurately center the said hole d with relation to the groove, and the post i may be thus secured accurately in its proper place parallel with the sides of the groove and in the center of the same without special attention on the part of the operator to secure this end.

The bottom A of the receptacle will usually be secured to the back A after the strip D at the lower edge of the said back has been attached thereto, so that said bottom A ex tends over and covers the said strip D, as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

E is a strip of wood or straw-board, which is preferably secured to the upper edge of the back wall, A ,within the cover and over the upper plate, D, afterthe latter has been at tached, so as to give a smooth finish to the receptacle at this point,and also to form a ledge to prevent the rear edges of the index-sheets from rising above the rear wall of the receptacle at this point. Inasmuch as the bottom A and the strip or ledge E cover the metal plates D D, said parts may serve to hold the post or rod 0 in place in case the latter is without shoulders at its ends, as above mentioned; but I prefer, for several reasons, to make the said rod with shoulders at its ends, in the manner illustrated and above described.

The novel blind or hidden fastening device for securing the lid or cover of the receptacle when closed,which forms part of my invention, is made as follows:

It is to be noted, in the first place, that the front of the box-body is a thin and measurae bly flexible flap hinged at its lower edge to the bottom. of the box and rabbeted in the outer surface of its upper edge. The front of the cover is also rabbeted to give the depending flange a, which fits the rabbet of the flap A, and when the box is closed the outer surfaces of the cover-front and box flap or front are flush. The purpose is to provide a fastening that will not project in the way of injury, or one, in other words, that will lie between the overlapping vertical surfaces of the rabbets in the flap and cover front. By this arrangement not only is the fastening concealed and removed from injury, but it may be readily opened and closed by reason of the elasticity of the flexible material forming such box and cover fronts.

F is a piece or strip of metal forming a keeper, which is provided with an inclined or oblique outer surface, and is attached to the outer vertical surface of the rabbet of the flap A and imposition to engage a projection or bar, G, upon the inner surface of the flange a of the cover-front. As a simple construction in the keeper F, whereby it may be cheaply and easily manufactured and applied, said keeper is made of a single strip of metal provided with shoulders f f at its ends, leaving central prongs, f f At one of its ends the strip or plate F is bent at or near the shoulders f f, so as to bring the prong f nearly at right angles to the central part thereof, while at its opposite end the plate is bent at a point inward from the said shoulders ff, so asto form a part, F, which, when the keeper thus formed is secured to the receptacle-wall by inserting the prongs f f through said wall until the shoulders f f rest against the said wall, will form a shoulder standing at right angles with the face of the said wall, the main part of the keeper being supported by the shoulders f f of said part F in an inclined or-ob1ique position. The keeper thus made may be attached either in the rabbet of the cover or in that of the body-flap of the receptacle, preferably to the latter. When the keeper is secured in the rabbet of the flap A, as herein shown, its part F will be placed nearest the bottom of the rabbet, the prongs f f 2 being inserted through the material composing the flap and clinched upon the inner surface of the latter, as clearly shown in Fig. 6.

The metal bar or wire G is adapted for engagement with the keeper F in such manner as to interlock with the part F thereof, said bar G in this instance being made'in the form of a staple and secured to the flange a of the cover A by having its sharpened ends g g driven into the wall or ledge a of the rabbet of the cover A. The staple, when thus secured, is placed against the flat surface of the flange a, so that the latter supports its outer transverse part from lateral deflection or movement. The parts of the catch or fastening made in the manner described are adapted to interlock by a springing or yielding of the wallor flap A or of the flange A of the cover, or both, so as to allow the passage of the wire or staple G. over the inclined surface of the keeper, and thus allowthe said staple to interlock with the horizontal part or shoulder F of said keeper. The cover is unlocked by pressing inwardly upon the wall or flap A, so as to free the said keeper from the staple, in an obvious manner.

The same general result obtained by the construction above set forth may be obtained by the use of a metal piece or keeper having an inclined outer face, together with a part adapted for engagement therewith, when said keeper is made in the form of a block provided with prongs for securingit to the receptacle, instead of a bent strip, as herein shown. The fastening device, consisting of two parts arranged between the vertical faces of the rabbets and operating in the manner described, forms a fastening which does not project so as to be exposed to injury, and one which is at the same time easily operated without care or attention on the part of the person using the receptacle. A fastening so located is herein claimed without restriction to the exact form thereof illustrated.

I claim as my invention-- us I provided with a vertical groove in its rear wall, of a series of index-sheets, a post or rod for holding said index-sheets within the re ceptacle, and fastening devices for the post or rod, consisting of metal plates secured to the fastening device having its two engaging parts rear wall of the receptacle over the ends of the located severallyin the rabbets of the said body and cover fronts, substantially as and for the 15 purpose set forth.

In testimony that Iclai m the foregoing as my invention I at'fix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

grooves therein, said plates being provided with central holes to receive the ends of the post, and with inwardly-bent parts or prongs engaging the side walls of the groove, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the rabbeted body I and cover fronts, overlapping as shown, of a AARON L. BROVN.

Witnesses:

O. CLARENCE PooLE, CHARLES T. LORING. 

